The confirmation of the first strategic partners for the Government’s £39 billion Social and Affordable Homes Programme is a welcome vote of confidence in the sector and a moment many housing providers have been waiting for.
Homes England has appointed 33 partners to deliver social and affordable homes outside London over the next decade. Their allocations cover around 73,600 homes and £9.6 billion of grant funding. The mix of housing associations, local authorities and a private registered provider reflects the breadth of organisations needed to meet the scale of national housing ambitions.
Long‑term funding certainty should give providers, developers and councils the space to plan properly, build stronger pipelines, invest in skills and take on more complex regeneration.
But this is also the point where ambition must turn into delivery. Funding helps, but it doesn’t solve everything, as Gary Jeffries, Head of Residential Property Services at Vail Williams, explains.
Anyone working in residential development knows the real test will be whether partners can find the right land, secure planning permission, manage infrastructure requirements and deliver viable schemes at pace.
A stronger foundation for long-term planning
One of the most valuable aspects of the Government’s programme is its ten‑year horizon, explains Gary:
“Previous stop‑start funding cycles have made it difficult for providers to think beyond the next bid round. A decade of certainty should allow more strategic decisions around land acquisition, procurement and organisational capacity.”
It also gives breathing room for larger regeneration projects that simply cannot be delivered within short funding windows.
Gary continues: “A steadier pipeline of affordable housing could benefit the wider industry too. Contractors, consultants and MMC suppliers may feel more confident investing in people and manufacturing capacity when future demand looks more predictable.
“But funding certainty only goes so far. If planning delays, infrastructure constraints and land assembly issues persist, the advantages of a ten‑year programme will be harder to realise.”
The search for deliverable land will intensify
What we can expect to see is that competition for developable land will likely increase.
“Strategic partners will need to focus not just on land availability, but on deliverability within programme timescales. Homes must start on site by March 2036 and complete by March 2039. Whilst this may seem like a long window, it may not be long enough for sites with unresolved constraints,” Gary adds.
This is where early residential property due diligence becomes critical. Abnormal ground conditions, access issues, biodiversity requirements, utilities capacity, flood risk and contamination can all undermine residential development viability.
“We regularly see schemes stall because these issues emerge too late in the process. This is where public sector landowners will have an important role. Councils, government departments and other bodies should review their estates for surplus or underused land, particularly on the back of the new National Planning Policy Framework too, including opportunities to combine ownerships or embed housing within wider regeneration,” advises Gary.
The right partnership model could also accelerate residential development progress and improve public value.
Partnerships will need to begin earlier
No strategic partner will deliver the level of affordable housing at this scale alone. Registered providers will need to work closely with local authorities, landowners, developers, Homes England and infrastructure providers. According to Gary, early conversations will be essential.
